Light

Chapter Ten

((A/N: Hey everyone! weabindaattic101 here!

I want to apologize for the lack of an update the last month. I was very busy studying for an exam I had to take. But I'm back, so Light can continue! Yay!))

"...Seriously, Lina?"

"What?" Lina asked, and noshed on a loaf of bread. "I like this stuff. You'd do the same thing if you were ravenously hungry."

Nino giggled as Priam gave Lina a glare. "Well, anyway, we need to find out where we are. Nino, you have any idea?"

"What?" Nino blinked. "Oh, sorry. I dozed off. Uh... that building looks like that's the covenant. Maybe we should head there first." She pointed to a building a few ways northern of their current position.

"So," Lina started as they started trotting off, "what can you tell us about St. Elimine's?"

"Not much," Nino said regretfully. "But I know a good bit. It's the primary church of the continent, and apparently it was build by one of the Eight Legends, Elimine, which you probably know about, right?" Priam and Lina nodded their heads, and Nino continued. "It's a very holy location, and there are a bunch of orphanages there, like ones where Raigh and Lugh came from. I know them pretty well."

"Uh, correct me if I'm wrong," Priam asked with raised brows, "but aren't Raigh and Lugh your... sons?"

Nino crumpled her own eyebrows. "No. I'm not even married, let alone have any children. Where'd that come from?"

"No reason," Lina butted in. "Just a misconception back home." She shot Priam a glare saying "why did you do that?!".

"Sorry," he mouthed back, and then turned back to Nino. "So Serra... works here?"

"She's a student, last I checked, but essentially, she does... 'work' here," Nino replied. "And now you get to see if she's still here."

The church itself was rather simple in design, a small, white, box-like main building, and a tall spire, extending into the sky. Small arches decorated the exterior, making it look less plain. Other than that, Priam and Lina though there was nothing else worth noting about the place.

"This is the holy church?" Lina asked, her lips pressed together. "Looks like an ordinary building. Nothin' holy about it."

"I haven't actually been here myself, but you're right," Nino said while chewing her lip. "It does look rather simplistic. Not to say there's anything wrong with the simplicity; just... it's kind of bland."

"I'll admit," Priam scanned the building, "I was expecting something a bit more complex, but whatever. Let's find this cleric and put a stop to her shenanigans."

"IF she's even here," Lina added.

Priam grimaced. Lina was right; Serra might not even be here, and then they'd have to look elsewhere. Which would lead to less time to save those poor people...

"The more you think about it, the more people are dying," Lina said, and started dragging Priam towards the church.

'I mean, Lina's right,' Priam says to himself, 'but I can't shake this sort of... weird feeling. I don't know exactly what it is, but it's SOMETHING, all right...'

The three pushed open the grand doors to the church, and are greeted by a short lady with eyes the color of dead leaves, clutching a staff.

"O-Oh, hello," she stuttered to Priam, and then bowed slightly. "W-Welcome to Saint Elimine's."

"Hey," Lina said coolly. "By any chance, you know anyone named Serra?"

The cleric blinks. "Serra?" When she spoke with Lina, she lost the stutter. "Why, she hasn't been here for a while. A... Long, long, while. And what a sweet soul she was. Why do you ask, madam?"

"Well, we're looking for her, Miss...?"

"Elen," the cleric replied. "My name is Elen, and I am in service as Princess Guinivere's lady-in-waiting. Um, for what purpose do you need to see her for?"

"We need to have a chat," Priam piped up. "A very serious chat."

"O-Oh," Elen said, the stutter returning. "W-Well, I'd like to know where she is too... b-but I've no clue either. Sh-She left re... Recently."

"Well, I mean, is there anything--"

"Oh my!" Elen lightly smacked herself on the forehead with her staff, lightly chuckling to herself. "Forgive me, but I've to take care of the children." She then frowned. "Hopefully they'll wake up this time..."

"Hold on." Lina crumples her brow. "Did you say something about 'waking up'?"

"Why yes, I did. Does that concern you, ma'am?"

"Actually, it does," Nino said. "The kids just fell asleep?"

"Out of the blue, miss." Elen nodded. "One minute, they were out and about, and the next, they just collapsed. Checked everyone, I did, and they're just sleeping. But they've been like that for several days, and I honestly can't take this much longer. They haven't even stirred a bit in their sleep! It's worrying."

"Now you know why we need to talk to Serra," Priam mumbled.